E27--adding ballast?

[Seth]

Boil it down

Unless you are correcting a rather extreme design deficiency (which you do not have), adding weight will not improve your overall sailing performance AT ALL.

While this was never an especially tender boat (meaning overcanvassed and/or underballasted), the weight the PO added in the bilge would have been the right place if the goal was to improve the stability (again not needed, and yielding a net loss in overall perf).

The result would have been a slight increase in stability-resulting in the ability to carry slightly more sail in windy conditions, which MIGHT result in a slight increase in speed and/or height in THOSE conditions-but with the loss of performance in the lower end of the wind range (it would be better to shorten sail in the windy stuff than add weight), and a loss of useful load carrying ability.


The boat was designed as a good all-around performer, and these kinds of mods almost never produce a net improvement-andf when there is an improvement in one area you will pay for it in another..

Enjoy your well designed boat!!!

S

 

[G Kiba]

Bob,
I agree. It's much more fun to sail than to work on.

Could the boot stripe be painted wrong? Why not take a measurement from bow to water and have some of us e27 owners do the same to compare?

Grant Kiba
'73 E27, #406

 

[BobB]

Bob,
I agree. It's much more fun to sail than to work on.

Could the boot stripe be painted wrong? Why not take a measurement from bow to water and have some of us e27 owners do the same to compare?

Grant Kiba
'73 E27, #406

Gee, I don't know about the boot stripe being wrong. I suppose it could, but I don't plan on repainting it just yet. I'm happy with my boat's performance overall, so I think the wisest plan is simply to ignore it. Besides, it adds character

 

[G Kiba]

Bob,

I've owned my boat for 2 years and just noticed on Sunday that the water line on my bow looks just like yours. Boat sails just fine.
Grant Kiba
'73 E27

 

[John N.W.Webb]

Water-line high in front...

In general, Power boats need to be loaded slightly heavy in the Bow & Sailing boats heavy in the rear. The latter will probably make the boat even out under sail as the sails tend to push the bow down. I forget where I learned this but it was probably some time back in The Canadian Power Squadron's, Nootka Sound Squadron.
J.N.W.W., E-29 Curlew.

 

[Seth]

Sorry John, but

This is simply not the case, and why I have developed a heavy skepticism to anything published by the power squadron. If the boat is designed well (yours is) and built well (also true), you do NOT want to deliberately load it (or any sailboat) in the bow. In fact-ALL sailboats should work to limit loading in either end for normal sailing, as weight in the ends of a sailboat will increase pitching moment is a seaway, and detract from the designed balance of the boat. They were designed to function with the expected forces produced by the saiplan and keel without modification. It is true that for performance sailboats you may want to move weight out of the bow and aft (usually just and sails) downwind in very heavy air-but this is for other reasons.

Some of these boats sit a little stern-down, but unless you have a boat designed by an amateur, ADDING weight to fix a trim issue like this is never the thing to do. First look to be sure you are not carrying too much junk in the trunk. The boat was never meant to use the aft lockers to store the majority of gear. If you are reasonably light in the back and the boat still sits a little bow high, don't worry-it COULD be a slight problem with the waterline application as has been said, but is certainly not a big deal..

BTW-the std rig 29 has never been considered a tender boat-the 27 is a bit more so (in std rig form), but not bad, and the TR 29 has a good bit of sail, but the std rig 29 is generally considered to be more suitable to SF BAY conditions than SOCAL-which is nice way of saying it is slightly underpowered for the weight and waterline compared to some other designs..and more reason why adding weight is a bad idea.

Not that I have an opinion!:nerd:
S

 

[tooblaaave]

no expert

I have had my E27 for a year now and have sailed it alot. even with a blown out Main Sail I could achive 6+ knots. I just put my new main on and am going out today and looking forward to some fun sailing My real point is, The 27 seems a cruiser/racer to me. I like the crusing, I know Nigle has tricked his 27 and wins a lot of races. I think many people dont concentrate on sail trim enough, for me it is one of the basics I focus on evry time I go out. that seems where preformance is most effected. I am speaking of the ericsons here, they are a great boat. sorry if this is a bit rambleing. Nic

 

[zube017]

same

For what it's worth, my E27 sits the same as yours. If it ain't broke......

same here, she rides a bit high in the nose, planning on adding a water tank in the front v berth compartment, and i have some lead slugs, 26 pounds each(only if i need them)